Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier is ready to start a new adventure with Lyon.

The 57-year-old former France coach was in charge of Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, before parting company with the club with one year remaining on his contract, after a fourth-placed finish in the Premiership.

But having taken a sabbatical year, Houllier is delighted to be back in France.

"I am very happy to be back to training, there is a sign of passion," he said.

"I know that I am taking risks but I took risks all my life.

"What's weird also is that I feel I am in a foreign country. I sometimes have to stop myself from speaking in English.

"I have stopped comparing everything to Liverpool, my spell there is part of the past and I have good memories."

Houllier was, however, the first to join Liverpool's dressing room celebrations when they won the Champions League in May.

"If I have to name 10 memorable moments of my life, this one is definitely one of them," added Houllier in L'Equipe.

"What happened in the dressing room with the players, the managers and even with (coach Rafael) Benitez was simply exceptional.

"Benitez behaved with a lot of class. I will also remember (defender Jamie) Carragher who took me aside and said to me: 'Let's sit and talk, boss'."

"I was very surprised that they included me so much into their success because this is Benitez's team who won.

"The only thing I did was that I helped them to qualify for the Champions League the year before."

Houllier admits his decision to join Lyon this summer was swayed by not facing the task of rebuilding the club the way he had to with Liverpool.

"I don't think I would have had the strength to do with Lyon what I did with Liverpool," he added.

"When I signed there, after Shankly, (Bob) Paisley, (Joe) Fagan, (Kenny) Dalglish or (Graeme) Souness, people started to hear the name Houllier and it was a cultural shock for them.

"I totally changed the club's approach and way of working and Benitez is the first one to admit it.

"I had three objectives when I joined: winning trophies, have an influence on the club in terms of style and make the players progress.

"In the end we won six trophies and we got the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League four times.

"We created new facilities and re-did everything from scratch.

"As far as the players' progression is concerned, (Michael) Owen was voted European Player of the Year and a lot more reached new heights in their careers.

"But now I must say I would not have the strength to rebuild a club again. That is why (Lyon president Jean-Michel) Aulas' comparison of his club with a Formula one car suited me.

"The club is already on the right track, there is a quality team. The key is to jump into the car and drive it fast."